Peoria councilwoman, neighborhood activist at odds

Tuesday

Jun 28, 2011 at 12:01 AMJun 28, 2011 at 12:30 AM

A longtime political division, as well as some simmering problems on the City Council, were publicly displayed in reaction to a weekend allegation of racial tensions during a Friday incident near Sheridan Road and Thrush Avenue.

Some neighborhood representatives said Monday it's no surprise that 2nd District City Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken had some strong public comments against Paul Wilkinson, the president of the Altamont Neighborhood Association. The two, neighborhood activists say, have not been on friendly terms for a long time.

JOHN SHARP

A longtime political division, as well as some simmering problems on the City Council, were publicly displayed in reaction to a weekend allegation of racial tensions during a Friday incident near Sheridan Road and Thrush Avenue.

Some neighborhood representatives said Monday it's no surprise that 2nd District City Councilwoman Barbara Van Auken had some strong public comments against Paul Wilkinson, the president of the Altamont Neighborhood Association. The two, neighborhood activists say, have not been on friendly terms for a long time.

"I wish Paul and Barbara could sit down and discuss this, but they won't," said Carol Holford, president of the nearby Gale Avenue Neighborhood Association. "They don't like each other."

Van Auken, on Sunday, said she was outraged by Wilkinson's allegations - sent in an email early Saturday to Mayor Jim Ardis and some council members, but not Van Auken - that a mob of young, black youths yelled racially charged comments to neighbors. His email, posted on the Peoria Chronicle blog, became national attention after it was picked up by The Drudge Report.

"The situation between (Van Auken) and him goes back a long ways," said Jim Combs, president of the East Bluff Serenity Neighborhood Association and past president of the Neighborhood Alliance.

At-large City Councilman Eric Turner described it as a "personal" issue between the two, and Paul Masick, current president of the Neighborhood Alliance and a West Bluff resident, said that "Wilkinson gets carried away with his statements and (Van Auken) doesn't like that."

Wilkinson and Van Auken, according to neighborhood officials and supporters, were once associates. Wilkinson, in fact, supported Van Auken's 2005 campaign against Marcella Teplitz.

But something happened between 2005 and 2009, as Wilkinson was the campaign manager for Curphy Smith, who challenged for Van Auken's 2nd District seat. Smith lost.

One source who knows both Van Auken and Wilkinson said a lot of the rift stems from Wilkinson's belief that Van Auken is not paying enough attention to the Altamont Park Neighborhood area.

Van Auken, meanwhile, also criticized the new council members for being "very gullible" to believe Wilkinson's claims.

At-large Councilwoman Beth Akeson on Monday said she wasn't going to react to Van Auken's comments.

"I think that she is eager for a reaction," Akeson said. "She's not going to get one from me. There will be no reaction."

At-large Councilman Chuck Weaver, who along with Akeson was seated on the council last month, said he has no problems with Van Auken.

"I have an excellent relationship with Councilwoman Van Auken," he said. "I have to believe any critical statement she would have made were taken out of context."